


Vanity, Vanity - Feliciano's Task

by ladyinpink602 (leodis57)



Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-22
Updated: 2013-10-16
Packaged: 2017-12-27 07:55:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/976327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leodis57/pseuds/ladyinpink602
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fernando can't stay away from the mirror and Feliciano is given an unpleasant task by the other Spanish players.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> On the same theme as Vanity, Vanity this fic was inspired by Gilles Simon's comment about Fernando's attention to his appearance. I do not know any of the people concerned and no disrespect is intended. A product of my imagination.

Fernando carefully applied the gel to his hair and then massaged it in so that it was spread evenly across his thick black locks. He then picked up his hairdryer and proceeded to style his hair to his liking. He followed this by liberally spraying hairspray over the finished product. The whole procedure was time-consuming and applying his cap afterwards was executed like a work of art. As he pulled his cap down a little further he heard a sort of muffled giggling followed by clapping. Surprised, he looked round to see Gilles Simon and a number of other French players watching and applauding him. Something was clearly amusing them but as Fernando didn’t understand French he had no idea what. Unsure what all this was about he smiled and continued checking out his appearance.

  
“This is embarrassing” said Marc Lopez, putting his head in his hands. He was sitting with other Spanish players out of earshot from Fernando and across the locker room from the French guys.

  
“I know. I mean he’s making himself a joke with all that preening” replied Marcel. “The French guys are just pissing themselves laughing.”

  
“Yeah, the honour of Spain is at stake here.” Tommy said, nodding soberly.

  
“Oh c’mon it’s not that bad, guys” said David. “It’s just Fer being ……. Fer.”

  
Rafa frowned as he looked up from his iPhone. “David, you’re obviously not taking this seriously enough. Something has to be done.”

  
“Like what?”

  
“Someone will have to speak to him” said Rafa decidedly.

 

 David raised his eyebrows “Someone?”

  
“Someone, yes.” Rafa’s dark eyes skimmed his colleagues. “Someone close.”

  
“Well, you can count me out – I want nothing to do with it.” David said folding his arms.

  
“We all know who’s got to do It.” said Marc. “Let’s give him the good news when he arrives” he added with a smile.

  
“Feli? He’s almost as bad!” smirked Marcel.

  
“Exactly. Might make him think as well.”

“Can he do it though?”

  
“He’ll have to. No Spaniard can stand by while his country is made a mockery of.” Rafa said with determination.

  
David’s amused snort was silenced by Rafa’s frown.

*******

Feliciano was feeling in a good mood as he left the court and made his way to the locker room; he’d just won his match. Humming a tune to himself, he opened the door, gave Fernando the thumbs up sign before hurrying over to join his compatriots.

  
“Hi everyone!” he said with a wide smile.

  
“You seem happy” said Tommy.

  
“Well, I have just won in two sets!” His face fell. “Weren’t you watching?”

  
“Congratulations, Feli!” said David giving him a hug.

  
“We’ve been a little …. distracted” Marc added, nodding in Fernando’s direction.

  
Feliciano looked surprised. “Oh?”

  
David sighed. “It’s really nothing, Feli ….”

  
Rafa interrupted. “Yes it is. Fer is just making himself a laughing stock with the amount of time he’s spending in front of the mirror; Gilles Simon can’t contain himself, he thinks it’s that funny.” He jabbed a finger in the direction of the Frenchman.

  
Feliciano’s eyes widened as he took in the scene; Fernando was now spraying himself with cologne.

  
“The thing is, Feli, all this posing and preening reflects on us all.” Marc said “It’s bad for the image of Spain.”

  
“What?” Feli’s mouth dropped open. “You are joking! I mean I know he’s a bit – you know …”

  
“Vain” said Marcel.

  
“I was going to say, preoccupied with his appearance – but is that a bad thing? C’mon guys, I mean, really.”

  
“It is bad and someone’s going to have to tell him.” Rafa emphasised his point by staring hard at Feliciano.

  
“Oh no, you’re not passing this onto me.” He shook his head vigorously.

  
“It has to be you Feli, you’re the closest to him. He’ll listen to you” replied Marc.

  
“So if he gets mad at me, that’s OK is it? Fine, thanks but no thanks.” He folded his arms. “You’re all cowards, passing this job onto me.”

  
“But if he gets mad just think of the fun you’ll have making up afterwards!” laughed Marcel, nudging Marc.

  
Feliciano gave him his fiercest glare. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  
“So, you’re going to do it, Feli?” interrupted Rafa.

  
“Well, it doesn’t look as though I’ve got any choice, but I want it noted that I’m not happy about it” grumbled Feliciano.

  
Rafa put his arm across Feliciano’s shoulders. “Just think – you’re doing this for Spain.”

  
Marc, Marcel and Tommy nodded in agreement.

 

 “Yeah you never know, the King might give you a special honour!” said David rolling his eyes.

  
“We won’t forget this, Feli” said Marc, clapping him on the back.

  
Feliciano pulled a face; his good mood had evaporated. He looked over to where Fernando was packing away his styling products and caught his eye, nodding in the direction of the door. Fernando grinned and hurried over to join him.

 

******  
Back in their hotel room, Feliciano wondered how he was going to approach this delicate matter. Sitting on the bed he played moodily with his bottle of water while Fernando talked on his phone to his latest girlfriend.

Fernando was walking around the room as he talked, pausing every now and then to check his hair in the mirror.

  
“So, I’ve managed to put her off flying out to join me” said Fernando after he’d ended his call.

  
“Oh, good” replied Feliciano without enthusiasm.

  
Fernando plonked himself down on the bed next to his friend. “What’s wrong with you? God, I thought you’d be pleased!”

  
“Mmm?”

  
“Hello, earth to Feli - come back from outer space!” Fernando waved his hand in front of Feliciano.

  
“Sorry, it’s just – well, I’m a bit preoccupied.” Feliciano looked down and continued to twist the top of his water bottle.

  
Fernando took it out of his hands and placed it on the bedside shelf.

  
“You going to tell me why?”

  
“It’s a bit – er – difficult, Fer. I don’t think you’re going to like it.”

  
“Oh I know, you’re now going to tell me you’ve hooked up with some girl and I’m surplus to requirements. Shit.” Fernando said scowling.

  
“No, no – it’s not that …”

  
“Well, what is it?”

  
“Look, there’s no easy way of putting this…” Feliciano took a deep breath. “The guys have asked me to have a word with you about something.”

  
Fernando stared at him. “The guys?” he said standing up. “I knew there was something weird going on this afternoon. Tommy wouldn’t meet my eyes and Rafa was ……”

  
“Fer, just listen will you? The guys think you were spending so long styling your hair and everything, and getting dressed, that it was becoming a joke, and making the Spanish players look well, stupid.” He said it all in a rush, the words tumbling over each other.

  
There was silence as Fernando digested this. Surprise and puzzlement flickered across his face. “So, my friends were watching me get ready and thought I was making them look stupid?” He scratched his head. “Sorry, I’m not getting this.”

  
“Don’t you remember Gilles Simon bursting out laughing?

”  
“Yeah, but …”

  
“You were creating entertainment for the locker room – it didn’t look good, you know, for Spain.” Feliciano bit his lip; he felt a bit silly adding that but thought he’d better convey the general feeling.

  
Fernando swore and started pacing backwards and forwards across the room. “Spain? Who asked you to say this? I bet it was Rafa. He’s just jealous of my hair because he’s going bald.”

  
“Well, it wasn’t any one in particular but a sort of joint decision, you know? Not David though, he stayed out of it.”

  
“Thank God for David.” There was a hurt look in Fernando’s eyes that went straight to Feliciano’s gut.

  
“I can’t believe you, my best friend, agreed to do this.”

  
Feliciano put his hand on Fernando’s shoulder. “Babe, I didn’t want to, believe me, but they didn’t give me a choice.”

  
Fernando shook him off. “You could still have said no” he said, pouting.

  
“In the end I thought it was better coming from me than anyone else.”

  
“The joke is that they think I’m vain but then ask you to speak me! I mean, come on, you spend as long on your appearance as I do!” Fernando was getting more worked up by the minute.

  
“Yeah, well they know I’m fashion conscious, but maybe that’s why they asked me?” Feliciano shrugged his shoulders. “Look, the thing is, don’t make too much of it. Just ease off on the grooming when the others are around OK?”

  
Fernando scowled. “I’m not going to forget this.”

  
“Don’t let it come between us, Fer.” Feliciano pleaded.

  
“I’m going out” said Fernando as he picked up jacket, adding “alone!” as he flounced out of the door.

  
Feliciano sat back on the bed and groaned. An evening ruined. Being in the middle was damned hard. He was going to have to find some way of making it up to Fernando.

 

END


	2. Vanity Vanity - Feliciano's Task Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feliciano is determined to make things right with Fernando and plans a surprise evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is written for those kind readers who enjoyed the first part and requested that the story continue. Thanks very much for your feedback.
> 
> This is fanfiction of course.

**Chapter 2**

Feliciano left the room minutes after Fernando but not quick enough it seemed.  Running out of the hotel he looked left and then right but there was no sign of Fernando.  He knew Fernando walked fast but surely he couldn’t have disappeared from view so quickly?  Then he spotted him on the horizon - black hair, familiar stride.  

Feliciano ran after him, his jacket flying open, his hair a mass of unruly curls.  He didn’t think he’d run this fast for some time, still it was a good cardio workout.  Slowing down as approached his friend, he waited for Fernando to turn around to see who was following him but he kept on walking, hands in pockets, eyes straight ahead.

“Fer” called Feliciano.

No response.

“Fer, can you stop a minute?” he asked.

Fernando stopped and looked round at Feliciano before continuing to walk.

“Why are you following me?” he asked.  His tone was cold, distant.

“I want to talk to you.”

“But I told you I was going out alone, didn’t I?”

“Yes, but ……”

“But what? I meant what I said.”

“I don’t like you going off like this.  I want to make things right.”

Fernando paused for a moment and gave Feliciano a look that seemed to go right through him.   “How are you going to do that exactly? Take back what was said?”

“Look, I wish I’d never said anything, OK? We don’t need to fall out over this – I mean just give me a break.”

Fernando shrugged his shoulders and said nothing.

 Feliciano linked his arm with Fernando’s and was surprised that his friend offered no resistance.

“C’mon Fer,” said Feliciano thinking he was getting somewhere.  “Just put the whole stupid thing out of your mind.”

 “Mmm.  Well you obviously didn’t think it was ‘stupid’ earlier or you wouldn’t have said it”

“Look I’ve explained ……. what could I do?” Feliciano held his hands up to indicate his lack of choice in the matter.

Fernando frowned and took a step back.  “Feli, just go back to the hotel OK? I’m better by myself just now.”

Frustrated, Feliciano chewed his lip as he pondered what to do. “You’re sending me away then?”

“I told you I was going out alone.” Fernando emphasised the last word. “Just leave me OK?”

Seeing argument was futile Feliciano had no choice but to turn and walk back the way he came.  His heart was heavy as he wondered how he was ever going to put things right.   He couldn’t leave things as they were, he had to think of a plan.

 

******

 

Feliciano went out and came back in, wanting to see the room as Fernando would do when he finally returned.

After leaving Fernando he had realised he was going to have to act quickly if he was to put his plan into action.  He had no idea how long Fernando was going to be or even if he intended coming back that night, but he’d estimated that he needed at least an hour to get things ready.

Making a few phone calls and using all his persuasive skills – which rarely failed him (except when Fernando was being stubborn) – had meant that he soon had the room looking as he wanted.

Feliciano turned off the central light and left only the two bedside lamps and a table lamp switched on. The curtains were drawn and Feliciano had to admit the subdued lighting gave the room a certain ambiance.  He had arranged (at no little cost) for roses to be delivered and he had strategically placed these around the room.  A large floral display sat on the glass-topped table, two smaller ones had been placed on the bedside cabinets.  On the bed lay a single red rose.

A bottle of champagne sat cooling in an ice bucket and next to it were two tall glasses.  Feliciano fussed around, tweaking the roses on the table, moving the glasses a little further away from the champagne.

He looked at himself in the mirror and felt pretty sure he looked irresistible.   His white shirt was open at the neck, undone by three buttons; just enough to show a tantalising glimpse of tanned chest. The jeans he was wearing were Fernando’s favourite; only the other day he’d told Feliciano that wearing them should be made illegal.   

Round his neck Feliciano wore a thin gold chain which Fernando had bought him for his birthday the previous year. On his right wrist he wore the green and pink friendship bracelet which was a duplicate of Fernando’s.   ‘Friendship’ thought Feliciano looking at it; what sort of a friend had he proved himself to be today?  

He sat down on one of the easy chairs and switched on the TV. He was prepared for a long wait.

 

******

It was dark when Fernando slid his card into the lock and opened the door.  Automatically he put his hand over the central light switch.

 “Don’t.” said Feliciano.

Fernando stopped and stared like he didn’t recognise the room that he had left hours earlier.

Feliciano stood up to greet him.  “Welcome back” he said softly.

Fernando’s mouth dropped open as he scanned the room.  His eyes took in the abundance of flowers, the champagne and Feliciano’s appearance.  He walked over to the bed and picked up the single red rose that was lying there; he sniffed its scent, held it for a second and then placed it back on the bed.

“What’s all this?” he said, fixing Feliciano with a penetrating gaze.

“What do you think it is?” replied his friend.

“I don’t know” Fer scratched his head.  “I’m sort of in shock. All this ….” He turned round and had a second look at the decorated room.

“All this is for you, baby, to say I’m sorry and to show you how much you mean to me.”

“Feli ….”

“Come on, let’s have a drink” Feliciano poured them both a glass of champagne and handed one to Fernando.

Fernando took it in silence.   Feliciano moved closer and clinked glasses, letting his hand casually bush against Fernando’s.

They both took a drink and Feliciano thought he spotted a lightness in Fernando’s eyes and the ghost of a smile on his lips.

“This must have cost you” Fernando observed.  “Champagne, roses delivered …. I’m impressed.”

“Yeah but I don’t care about that.  I wanted to make a big statement you know? Sometimes actions speak louder than words.”

“True.” Fernando took another drink. “What you said earlier? I’ve been thinking – it wasn’t your fault.”

“No?” A wave of relief flooded through Feliciano.  Was he being let out of the doghouse?

“No.  You should never have been put in that position.  But I’m not going to let this affect me, or us.”

“God Fer, you don’t know how glad I am to hear you say that.” Feliciano took a large gulp of champagne.

Fernando took the glass out of his hand and put both of them on the table.

“So …” he said letting his eyes travel over Feliciano’s body “I guess all this is for my benefit?” He fingered the necklace around Feliciano’s neck and commented “My birthday present”.

“I dressed to please you” Feliciano said, a catch in his voice.

“Yeah it does!  Just turn around so I can really take in those jeans.”

Feliciano duly obliged, a grin spreading across his face as he performed a little twirl.

“Should have been a model” said Fernando with conviction.

Feliciano giggled.  “Look who’s talking.”

“Well, you going to kiss me then or do I have to make the first move?”

Feliciano pulled Fernando to him and covered his mouth hungrily; his tongue found Fernando’s as the familiar sensation of desire overwhelmed him, intensified by Fernando’s low moan as they explored each other’s mouths.

Fernando slid his hands down Feliciano’s sides so that they rested on his hips, then they gripped his ass, stretching those illegal jeans even tighter.

“Bed, now …” whispered Feliciano as he manoeuvred Fernando backwards so that they both fell, bodies entwined, onto the duvet.

  * “Ow” said Fernando aware of something digging in his back.  He felt underneath him and produced the rose, unfortunately flattened by their weight.



Laughing Feliciano took it from him and threw it down. “I think it’s fulfilled its purpose” he said before returning to devouring his quarry.  Fernando was back in his arms, he wasn’t about to let him escape again.

 

******

“Do you think he’s said anything?” enquired Tommy as he joined his colleagues in the locker room.

“Feli? He better have” answered Marc as he changed his trainers.

“I don’t know.  I think he might have chickened out.”

“I still can’t believe you asked him to do that, it was a shit thing to do.” David shook his head.

Rafa walked into the locker room wearing a serious expression. “Feli is coming this way and Fer is with him.”

“This should be interesting” said David under his breath.

When the two men appeared they were smiling and laughing, their arms around each other’s waists.  This caused some consternation amongst their colleagues who exchanged surprised glances.

“OK guys?” said Feliciano brightly as he put his bag down.  Fernando just smiled and started to sort out his kit.

Rafi moved himself closer to Feliciano and tried to catch his attention.

“Something in your eye, Raf?” asked Feliciano, all innocence.

“No, no” he mumbled, pretending he hadn’t been looking at Feliciano.

“Haven’t you spoken to him?” hissed Marc noting how Fernando was making a play of lining up his styling products.

“I’m not deaf, Marc” stated Fernando.

“Er, no … I just meant ….”

“You know guys, if I’m annoying you or something, can you just say it to my face?”  Fernando folded his arms and looked from one to another.  Feliciano just smirked.

There was an awkwardness in the air; clearly no one wanted to speak first.

After a minute or two Rafa went over to Fernando and put his arm around his shoulder.  “We didn’t mean anything wrong, Fer – we just thought it better if Feli spoke to you about our … our concerns.”

“Yeah? Right.”  Fernando shook off Rafa’s arm.  “Well, I can tell you guys – your concerns have been noted. Come on Feli” he added as he picked up his towel and headed towards the showers.

“Oh, and never ask me to do that again, OK?” said Feliciano, following him.  “It cost me big time.”

“So, what are we to make of that?” asked Tommy.

“Who knows with those two” said Marc.

“You should learn your lesson guys, try and drive a wedge between them and they’ll come back more united than before” said David.  “It’s just the way things are.”

 

END

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
